Manchester Airport announces new direct rail connections

Worldwide destinations from Cape Town to New Orleans are easier to reach as train operator First TransPennine Express have started running services direct from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Carlisle to Manchester Airport.

First TransPennine Express is expanding its network to provide 14 daily services each day between Scotland and Manchester.

Four trains a day will run from Edinburgh to Manchester and three each day from Glasgow Central.

The new service is being provided as part of the changes to the cross country rail franchise and opens up new journey opportunities with a direct link into the heart of Manchester Airport, which has its own integrated station.

The end to end journey time from Edinburgh or Glasgow will be four hours or less and the trains will make intermediate calls at Carlisle and Penrith, in addition to First TransPennine Express’ usual calling points south of Oxenholme on route to Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport. Services to and from Glasgow will also call at Lockerbie.

Vernon Barker, managing director of First TransPennine Express, said: "We are delighted to be able to serve Edinburgh and Glasgow with new trains and offer new journey opportunities via Manchester Airport to worldwide destinations."

John Twigg, planning and infrastructure director at Manchester Airport, added: "We are delighted that more towns and cities in northern Britain will now enjoy direct rail services to Manchester Airport.

"This will provide local people and businesses with quick and convenient access to our network of 225 worldwide destinations.

"This is further proof of the success of TPE in meeting the needs of air passengers, with nearly 3 million travellers a year now using our state of the art transport interchange, and so helping to reduce road congestion and emissions."